COME WHAT MAY

CHAPTER THIRTY - FIVE

I am sincerely grateful to God for the inspiration for this book and I thank the readers who sacrificed their time to read this story. It is coming to an end very soon and I hope you enjoyed the story as well as learn a thing or two from the characters. Thank you for your support, may God bless you richly.

Tears ran down Kgosi's face as he traced his wife's face on their wedding photo. How did she get so messed up anyway? Her parents were the first to make her into someone who could not trust anybody; someone who is selfish and vindictive. Then there is the guy called Darren; his wife's first love. He waited for her only to break her heart leaving her with questions and the belief that she was not worth loving. She promised she loved him; she said it many time; he saw it in her eyes. Was she pretending right now? Was she lying when she stood before God and their family (well his family since only her father was the only member of her family that came,) and recited the most beautiful wedding vow any man would wish to hear? He stood up and looked at her picture hanging on the wall in the living room. A thought came to his mind; if Darren was still in her heart even till this moment then it is clear the vow she wrote was meant for him and it was also a possibility that all this time she must have imagined that he was Darren in order to numb the pain she was feeling.

He could not fathom the level of pain Desire must have passed through when she became friends with Lorato, the girl that took Darren from her. She must have hurt even more when the good for nothing guy left the country and never contacted her. She used the same tactic to attack Lolita! Chidi left Lolita without a word and got engaged to her best friend Lorato. She was making sure everyone had a full taste of what she went through. She made sure that no one was at peace just as she was not at peace. What kind of a human being does that? Has she forgotten the good times?

"You said she was good for me! She had all the qualities I wanted in a wife! Where have I gone wrong? Our marriage is not even half a year and this happens? God why?" All the shouting did not make him feel better instead he felt more angry, hurt and confused. She pulled a fast one on him. How could he ask how she could successfully pretend to love him when she pulled it off brilliantly with Lolita. "GOD!!!" He shouted again and crumbled to the floor in tears. He was a fool all along, loving someone who just used him shamelessly and without any form of remorse. He loves her more than his own life for crying out loud! What should he do now? What is the next step to take?

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Lolita came out of the British High commission at Main mall smiling brightly as she applied for the United Kingdom's Visa and wrote her IELTS TEST but inside she felt like a ball of messy spaghetti. She will be forever haunted by the blank look on Kgosi's face when Desire's truth was revealed. She walked to the nearest bus stop to take a Combi to the taxi rank as she didn't come with her car. She could not drive after the ordeal Kgosi went through that morning. As she waited there she noticed someone driving by that looked terribly familiar. "No way in forever!" she muttered under her breath. The Combi she needed arrived and she got inside with her mind trying to figure out where to find Desire.

*********

Mrs. Johnson fought for control as her phone fell on the floor. Several emotions played on her face; anger, disappointment, fear and despair. Grace had called to share the good news about Lolita's scholarship. But her future mother in law to be was not able to bring herself to rejoice with them. Her poor son, her precious Ryan might have to wait longer than he thought. She sat down on the sofa in her son's living room. How would he receive the news? His heart will break for sure. There must be a way to stop Lolita from leaving; she could do distance learning but from what Ryan said on the night of their date, Lolita would be deliriously happy to be given such a brilliant and perfect escape from everything. Ryan is thirty-four for goodness' sake! She stood up and began pacing around the living room trying to figure out how Lolita could be convinced not to leave. A full year in the UK is a great opportunity but she was getting impatient for Ryan must settle down as soon as possible.

***********

Christine kept staring at Sofia as if she was some weird or strange creature from another planet. What kind of family was she from that allowed her to be married off to a guy that did not bring his parents up in the wedding planning conversation? The nerve of her family! Another thought came to her mind; what if they had eloped and her parents are looking for her? She gasped as she thought about the possibility. Her handsome son has been a heart breaker since his high school days and a pity it was that sweet Desire and Lorato got caught in his games. Darren had just arrived from buying some sweet treats from the main mall because Sofia had been craving for some chocolate ice cream, chocolate biscuits and so many other junks which made Christine wonder why the heavily pregnant girl was nowhere near fat!

 She watched as Darren walked from the kitchen with a bowl of Nestle chocolate ice cream, sat beside his wife and started feeding her. The new mother in law looked on in wonder and shock, Darren was no angel so what in the world happened to him in America? She watched as he used his thumb to clean off some ice cream that dropped on Sofia's chin. So sweet...totally adorable; she thought about what her husband's reaction would be once he arrives and find that not only is he now a father in law but a grand daddy to be. She smiled genuinely for the first time since her son and his wife arrived.

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Ryan called Lolita the moment he had free time. It was nearly 8 in the night. He was still at the hospital and was resting in his office where he hope to put a bunk bed soon for nights he will not be able to go home. Lolita picked on the fourth ring.

"Hello Ryan." She said in a sing song voice. Ryan smiled brightly, just hearing her voice was a delight.

"Hi. How was your day?"

"Not as bad as yours...you know seeing blood all the time."

Ryan chuckled and replied, "tell me about yours."

He listened as she narrated the events of the day and Kgosi finding out about what his wife had been up to even long before they met.

"Poor guy but I hope everything turns out well."

"How so?" Lolita asked.

"We serve a miracle working God Lolly."

"Of course." After a few seconds of comfortable silence, Lolita told him about the scholarship.

"Let's talk over dinner Lolly. I will call you so please be ready at any time."

Lolita scoffed and replied, "Just because I'm unemployed does not mean I do not have important things to do."

"Tell me about it."

"Keeping the house in order, preparing breakfast, lunch and supper plus to maintain my pretty face Dad said I need a lot of rest." Ryan was stunned and remained silent. Lolita broke into laughter and that eased his mind.

"You must think I'm so vain but don't worry. Looking beautiful is a woman's job along with other important work so I will be ready any time you call okay. Please rest before your next shift okay."

He loves it when she shows how much she cares for him. "Yes I will do that. Good night."

"Good night."

He breathed out and sunk on the sofa in his office. Lolita was going to leave for a year and that saddens him as much as it makes him glad.

***********

Prof. Fani was even more shocked than his wife was earlier. Nevertheless, he accepted the fact on ground. 

"Why did you do this? What was your reason for getting married without informing us?" He asked.

Sadness clouded Darren's handsome features as he looked at his father and replied, "Desire Charleston."